Spray gun



P 1969 G. D. HAGFORS 3,437,273

SPRAY GUN Filed June 29, 1967 INVENTOR. 504400. #464265 April 8, 1969 D.HAGFORS SPRAY GUN INVENTOR. 655440 0. Mamas BY 7 arQMQA- Filed June 29,1967 FIE 5 States Patent 3,437,273 SPRAY GUN Gerald D. Hagfors,Minneapolis, Minn., assignor to Gray Company, Inc., Minneapolis, Minn.,a corporation of Minnesota Filed June 29, 1967, Ser. No. 649,954 Int.Cl. F23d 13/38; B05b 7/06; A62c 11/06 US. Cl. 239414 21 Claims ABSTRACTOF THE DISCLOSURE An improved airless spray gun for spraying pluralfluid component materials, such as foams, thermosetting resins, epoxies,polyesters, and other rapidly reacting chemical materials as ahomogeneous mixture. The spray gun includes a body having a generallycylindrical mixing chamber wherein the component materials areintroduced at one end through a pair of passages. The passages arearranged so that their longitudinal axes are parallel to each other, andintersect a diameter of the mixing chamber at points equally spaced fromthe central longitudinal axis of the chamber. In addition, the passagesare arranged so that the plane including the diameter of the chamber andthe axis of one of the passages is perpendicular to the plane includingthe diameter of the chamber and the axis of other passage, and the axesof the passages are both disposed at an angle of approximately fourdegrees with respect to a vertical plane including the centrallongitudinal axis of the mixing chamber. The arrangement of the mixingchamber and the passages causes the component materials to enter thechamber tangently and to be thoroughly and uniformly mixed by theresulting swirling action in the chamber.

The spray gun uses a rotary valve arrangement to control flow throughthe passages. More specifically, the gun is constructed so that the bodymay be rotated about the central longitudinal axis of the chamberrelative to the rest of the gun whereby the other ends of the passagesmay be selectively placed into connection with sources of the componentmaterials or with a source of solvent or disconnected from both thematerials and solvent. A novel biasing means, utilizing, in part, thepressure of the component materials and solvent, prevents leakagebetween the rotatable body and the rest of the gun.

Background of the invention.

This invention relates to an improved plural component materials spraygun, and more particularly, to an improved airless spray gun forspraying plural fluid component materials such as foams, thermosettingresins, epoxies, polyesters, and other rapidly reacting chemicalmaterials as a homogeneous mixture.

In the past, various types of spray guns or spray apparatus have beenused for spraying plural component materials, and generally these priorspray guns per-formed satisfactorily from the standpoint of spraying ahomogeneous mixture.

In the prior spray guns, needle valves or ball valves were frequentlyused to control the flow of component material to the mixing chamber inthe gun, and there was always a problem in such guns of properlyadjusting the valves and valve actuating structure so that the valvesopened and closed simultaneously.

Also, it was extremely diflicult and time-consuming to clean thecomponent materials from the prior guns and more particularly, fromaround the valves and the passages connecting the valves with the mixingchamber. Moreover, when a buildup of materials occurred because ofimproper or incomplete cleaning, considerable force was often requiredto open the needle or ball valves.

3,437,273 Patented Apr. 8, 1969 Furthermore, in the prior guns, themixing chamber and component passages were frequently complex indesign'and arrangement in order to achieve the necessary homogeneousmixture of component materials, and this obviously increased the cost ofthe gun and the difficulty in cleaning the gun.

Summary of the invention In contrast to the prior spray guns, theimproved spray gun or spraying apparatus of the present invention may berelatively quickly and easily cleaned. More-over, unlike the prior guns,the improved spray gun of the present invention does not use needle orball valves, but rather, uses an improved rotary valve arrangement whichrequires relatively low torque to operate because of the shearing orwiping action of the valve. Also, the design and arrangement of theimproved rotary valve insures that the component materials passages arealways opened and closed simultaneously. Furthermore, the improved spraygun of this invention utilizes a novel mixing chamber which is extremelysimple in design, yet achieves thorough and uniform mixing of thecomponent materials.

More particularly, the improved spray gun of the present inventionincludes a valve body that is adapted to be rotated about the centrallongitudinal axis of the gun relative to the rest of the gun. The bodyincludes a generally cylindrical mixing chamber and a pair of passageswhich are connected at one end with the mixing chamber. The passages arearranged so that their longitudinal axes are parallel, are disposed atan angle of ap proximtely four degrees with respect to the verticalplane including the central longitudinal axis of the mixing chamber, andintersect a diameter of the mixing chamber at points equally spaced fromthe central longitudinal axis of the chamber. Moreover, the passages arearranged so that the plane including the diameter and the longitudinalaxis of one of the passages is perpendicular to the plane, including thediameter and the longitudinal axis of the other passage, and both theseplanes are disposed at an angle of forty-five degrees to the centrallongitudinal axis of the mixing chamber. This arrangement of the mixingchamber and the passages causes the component materials to enter thechamber tangently, but at diametrically opposite sides of the chamber,whereby the component materials may be thoroughly and uniformly mixed inthe chamber by the resulting swirling action of the materials in andalong the chamber.

The body has a first sealing surface formed on one end thereof and theother ends of the passages terminate at spaced points in this sealingsurface. The gun also includes a member having a plurality of boreswhich are connected with sources of component material and with a sourceof solvent and which terminate at spaced points in a second sealingsurface formed on the member adjacent to the first surface. The secondsurface is biased into sealing engagement with the first surface bybiasing means which utilizes, in part, the pressure of the componentmaterials and solvent upstream of the second surface.

As noted above, the body may be rotated relative to the rest of the gun,and this rotation of the body causes the first sealing surface to rotaterelative to the second sealing surface. Moreover, the other ends of thepassages and the ends of the bores in the gun are arranged so that whenthe body is rotated to a first position, the other ends of the passagesare aligned with the ends of the bores connected with the componentmaterials sources whereby the materials may flow through the passagesand into the mixing chamber. Further, when the body is rotated to thesecond position, the other ends of the passages are aligned with theends of the bores connected with the solvent source so that solvent mayflow through the passages and into the mixing chamber thereby cleaningthese passages and chamber. Lastly, when the body is rotated to a thirdposition, the other ends of the passages are not aligned with eitherends of the component material bores or the solvent bores so that thethere is no fiow through the passages.

Thus, in summary, the improved spray gun of the present inventionprovides a thoroughly and uniformly mixed spray while eliminating theproblems found in the prior plural component spray guns with respect toease of cleaning and simultaneous opening and closing of the componentmaterials valves. In addition, the improved spray gun has a relativelysimple design and construction which permits the gun to be inexpensivelymanufactured.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide animproved spray gun for spraying a homogeneous mixture of rapidlyreacting chemical materials in which the novel mixing chamber is ofrelatively simple design and arrangement and in which a rotary valve isutilized to control the flow of the component materials to the mixingchamber.

Another object of the present invention was to provide an improved spraygun for spraying a homogeneous mixture of rapidly reacting chemicalmaterial in which the adjacent surfaces of the rotary valve are urgedinto sealing engagement by biasing means which, in part, utilizes thepressure of the component materials and the solvent.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention willbecome apparent upon reference to the following specifications,drawings, and appended claims.

Description of the a'l awings FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of theimproved spray gun of the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is a partial, horizontal sectional view taken on the line 2-2of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a horizontal sectional view of the spray gun of the presentinvention that is similar to FIGURE 2 except that the valve body hasbeen rotated to a position in which the component materials may flowinto the mixing chamber and be sprayed from the gun.

FIGURE 4 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the spray gun of thepresent invention showing the valve body in a position in which solventmay fiow into the mixing chamber and be sprayed from the gun.

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary, enlarged cross-sectional view showing thedetails of the novel mixing chamber arrangement and the passages whichare connected with the chamber.

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken on the line 66 inFIGURE 5.

Description of the preferred embodiment Referring now to FIGURES 14, animproved spray gun embodying the principles of the present invention isshown generally at 11. The gun 11 includes a housing 12 and a handle 13.The handle is removably connected to the housing 12 by a threaded bolt14, and may be removed from the housing when, for example, the gun is tobe used in a stationary installation.

Three threaded bores 15, 16 and 17 are formed or drilled in the rearface 18 of the housing 12, with the bores and 16 being equally spacedtransversely from the longitudinal center line of the housing and withthe bore 17 being spaced above the longitudinal center line of thehousing. Adapters 19 and 21 are threaded into the bores 15 and 16respectively, so that the flanged ends 22 and 23 of the adapters abutthe face 18 and so that the other ends 24 and 25 thereof project fromthe front face 26 of the housing 12. Bores 27 and 28 with coaxial,larger diameter, counter bores 29 and 31 extend completely through theadapters 19 and 21, respectively. Shoulders 32 and 33 are formed betweenthe bores 27 and 29 of the adapter 19 and between the bores 28 and 31 ofthe adapter 4 21. Reducing nipples 34 and 35 are threaded into theflanged ends 22 and 23 of the adapters 19 and 21, respectively, andaxial bores 36 and 37 which extend through these nipples. The ends 38and 39 of the nipples 34 and 35 are adapted to be connected to separatesources of component materials by means of hosing shown generally at 41in FIGURE 1. Nipple 34, for example, may be connected to a pressurizedsource of resin, while the nipple 35 may be connected with a pressurizedsource of catalyst.

Conventional coil spring biased, ball check valves 42 and 43 arepositioned within the adapters 19 and 21, respectively, between theshoulder 32 and the end 44 of the nipple 34, and between the shoulder 33and the end 45 of the nipple 35. These check valves prevent thecomponent materials in the spray gun from flowing back into thepressurized sources to which the nipples are connected.

As best shown in FIGURE 4, a reducing nipple 46 is threaded into bore17. The nipple 46 is similar in structure to the nipples 34 and 35 andhas an axial bore 47 which extends therethrough. The threaded end 48 ofthe nipple 46 is adapted to be connected by a hose, shown generally at49 in FIGURE 1, to a source of pressurized solvent which is capable ofcleaning the component materials from the gun. The bore 17 is connectedwith a vertical bore 51 formed or drilled in the housing 12. Twotransverse bores 52 and 53 are drilled in the front face 26 of thehousing 12 and are connected with the bore 51 at points equally spacedfrom the center line of the housing 12. The bores 52 and 53 are counterbored and threaded to receive the threaded ends of the adapters 54 and55 which include the ends 56 and 57, respectively, that project from thefront face 26 of the housing 12. The ends 24, 25, 56 and 57 of theadapters 19, 21, 54 and 55 are similar in structure and project the samedistance from the face 26. Each of the ends 24, 25, 56 and 57 have aconventional sealing ring disposed in an annular groove formed in theends, the sealing ring and groove being generally shown at 58. It shouldbe noted that the ends 24 and 25 and the ends 56 and 57 are formeddiametrically opposite each other, with respect to the longitudinalcenter line of the housing 12, with an angle of ninety degrees betweeneach of the adjacent projecting ends. Moreover, each of the projectingends 24, 25, 56 and 57 lie on a common circle; i.e., each end isequispaced from the longitudinal center line of the housing 12.

A generally circular plate 59 has four counter bores 61 drilled in itsrear face 62. The counter bores 61 have internal diameters that areslightly larger than the outer diameters of the projecting ends 24, 25,56 and 57 and are arranged, at ninety degree intervals in a circle aboutthe longitudinal center line of the plate whereby, when the gun isassembled, as shown in FIGURES 2, 3 and 4, the ends 24, 25, 56 and 57project into the bores so that the rear face 62 of the plate 59 isadjacent the front surface 24 of the housing 12.

The front face 63 of the plate 59 has a raised, generally annularsealing surface 64 machined thereon. Two bores 65 are drilled in thesurface 64 so that they are coaxial and connected with the largerdiameter counter bores 61 which receive the projecting ends 24 and 25 ofthe component materials adapters 19 and 21. Two other bores 66 aredrilled in the surface 64 so that they are coaxial with and connected tothe counter bores 61 which receive the pro ecting ends 56 and 57 of thesolvent adapters 54 and 55. Moreover, each of the component materialbores 65 is spaced ninety degrees from each of the solvent bores 66 andall the bores 65 and 66 lie on a common circle about the longitudinalcenter line of the plate 59. Shoulders 67 are formed between the ends ofthe bores 65 and 66 and the counter bores 61. As shown in FIGURES 2, 3,and 4, the depth or length of the counter bores 61 is greater than thelength of the projecting ends 24, 25, 56 and 57, so that fluid chambers68 are formed in counter bores 61 between the shoulders 67 and theprojecting ends of the adapters 19, 21, 54 and 55. Thus, when the spraygun is connected with the source of pressurized component materials andsolvent, the pressure of the fluid in the chambers 68 tends to bias ormove the plate 59 to the left, away from the housing 12, with theprojecting ends 24, 25, 56 and 57 serving as guides for this limitedmovement. In addition, spring washer 69, disposed about each of theprojecting ends 24, 25, 56 and 57 and between the front face 26 of thehousing and the rear face 62 of the plate, also tend to bias or move theplate 59 to the left, away from the housing 12. As more fully explainedhereinafter, this limited movement of the plate 59 assists in sealingthe gun.

An annular retainer 71 has a first and second interconnecting, generallycircular openings 72 and 73 formed therein with a shoulder 74 beingformed therebetween. The central longitudinal axes of the openings 72and 73 are coaxial with the central longitudinal axis of the ring 71,and also with the longitudinal center line of housing 12. The diameterof the opening 73 is greater than the diameter of the opening 72 and isalso greater than the external diameter of the plate 59. The retainer 71is secured to the front face 24 of the housing 12 by a plurality ofbolts, not shown.

A valve body 75 includes a threaded forward end 76, a reduced centralportion 77 and an enlarged rear portion 78. A flange 79 is formed on therear portion 78 of the valve body adjacent the rear face 81 thereof,with the flange having outer diameter approximately equal to the outerdiameter of the ring 59. A portion of the flange 79, not shown, is cutaway, and this cut away portion cooperated with a radially inwardlyprojecting portion formed on the retainer 71, also not shown, to limitthe rotation of the body 75 to an arc of ninety degrees.

Like the face 63, the face 81 of the valve body 75 has a raised,generally annular sealing surface 82 machined thereon. The radialdimensions of the surface 82 are equal to the radial dimensions of thesurface 64, and thus when the gum 11 is assembled, as shown in FIGURES2, 3 and 4, the surfaces 64 and 82 abut. Moreover, because of the fluidpressure in the chambers 68 and the spring washers 69, the surface 64 isbiased or moved into tight sealing engagement with the surface 82.

As is apparent from FIGURES 2, 3 and 4, the outer diameter of ring 59and the outer diameter of flange 79 are greater than the diameter of theopening 72 so that when the valve body 75 is positioned as shown in FIG-URES 2, 3 and 4, the shoulder 74 holds or supports the valve body inposition. An annular Teflon ring 85 is positioned between the flange 79and the shoulder 74 and when so positioned, the ring 85 acts as a'thrust bearing. As noted above, fluid pressure in chambers 68 and thespring washers 69 bias the plate 59 against the body 75, and thus, theflange 79 is biased against the ring 85. However, because the ring 85 ismade of Teflon, rotation of the valve body 75, with respect to the plate59, may be achieved with a minimal application of torque to the valvebody. Furthermore, wear on the Teflon ring 85 will not cause fluidleakage between the sealing surfaces 64 and 82 since as the ring 85wears, the plate 59 will be moved to the left, as shown in FIGURES 2, 3and 4, by the fluid pressure in chamber 68 and by the washers 69.Therefore, the Teflon ring 85 has to be replaced only after it has beenso severely worn that it can no longer function as a thrust bearing,thus minimizing maintenance work on the gun.

In order to properly locate the valve body 75 with respect to the plate59, a guide pin 86 is positioned between the front face 63 of the plate59 and the rear face 81 of the body 75 so that the longitudinal centerlines of the plate 59, body 75, and pin 86 are coaxial.

A handle assembly 87 includes an annular portion 88 which fits about thefront part of the rear portion 78 of the valve body 75 and a handle 89.The annular portion 88 is secured to the portion 78 of the valve body bymeans of a set screw, not shown, so that rotational movement of thehandle assembly 87 results in a corresponding rotation of the valve body75. The handle 89 is integrally formed with the annular portion 88 andextends to the rear of the gun adjacent to, but spaced from, the side ofthe retainer 71 and housing 12, as shown best in FIG- URES 1 and 2.Moreover, as shown in FIGURE 1, the outer surface of the housing 12 hasthe words SOLV, OFF and ON stamped thereon adjacent to the end 91 of thehandle 89. These words SOLV, OFF and ON are arranged so that movement ofthe end 91 from the word SOLV to OFF, or OFF to ON causes rotation ofthe valve body through an arc of forty-five degrees. Furthermore,movement of the handle 89 from ON to SOLV or vice versa causes the valvebody to rotate through an arc of ninety degrees which, as noted above,is the maximum are through which the valve body may be rotated. Also, asmore fully explained hereinafter, the valve body 75 is constructed andarranged, with re spect to the handle 89, so that when the end 91 ispointed at the word ON, a homogeneous mixture of the component materialsis sprayed from the gun, and so that when the end 91 is pointed at theword SOLV, solvent under pressure is sprayed from the gun. Further, whenthe end 91 is pointed at the word OFF, no fluid is being sprayed fromthe gun.

Moreover, to prevent fluid from being unintentionally sprayed from thegun by an accidental movement of the handle 89 from the OFF position tothe ON or SOLV positions, a latch 92 is provided. The latch 92 comprisesa stepped diameter shaft 93 which is positioned within a bore 94 formedin the retainer 71. The ends of the shaft 93 are guided in the bore 94,for limited reciprocal movement therein, by cylindrical bearing members95 and 96. A handle 97 is secured to the shaft 93 and extendsperpendicularly therefrom through an elongated groove 98 formed in theouter surface of the retainer 71. A coil compression spring 99 ispositioned in the bore 84 between the end of the member 96 and the largediameter portion of the shaft 93, and surrounds the small diameterportion of the shaft 93. The spring 99 urges the shaft 93 to the left,as shown in FIGURE 4, so that the front end of the shaft abuts the rearface 101 of the annular portion 88 of the handle assembly 87. A recess,not shown, is formed in the rear surface 101 of the portion 88 and is soaligned with respect to the shaft 93 that when the end 91 of the handle89 is pointed to the word OFF, the front end of the shaft 93, under thebias of spring 99. projects into the recess, thereby preventing rotationof the portion 88 and thus the valve body 75. Therefore, when it isdesired to move the handle 89 to either the SOLV or ON positions fromthe OFF position, it is first necessary to retract the end of shaft 93from the recess, against the force of the spring 99, by means of thehandle 97.

Referring now to the valve body 75, a generally right cylindrical mixingchamber 102 is formed therein so that the central longitudinal axes ofthe chamber and the valve body are coaxial. The front end 103 of thechamber is connected with a spray tip 104 that is secured to thethreaded portion 76 of the body 75 by a nut 105. An annular sealing ring106 is positioned between the front end of the portion 76 and the spraytip 104 to prevent leakage therebetween. The spray tip 104 is ofconventional design, and satisfactory performance of the gun may beobtained using either a round or elliptical pattern tip.

A pair of passages 107 and 108 are each connected at one end with therear end 109 of the mixing chamber 102, and as best shown in FIGURES 5and 6, the central longitudinal axes of the passages 107 and 108 areparallel and intersect a diameter of the mixing chamber 102 at pointsequally spaced from the central longitudinal axis of the chamber.Moreover, a plane including the diameter and the longitudinal axis ofthe passage 107 is perpendicular to a plane including the diameter andthe central longitudinal axis of the passage 108. Also, the centrallongitudinal axes of the passages 107 and 108 each form an angle of fourdegrees with the vertical plane including the central longitudinal axisof the chamber 102. Furthermore, the passages 107 and 108 are arrangedso that the fluid streams emitted therefrom enter the chamber 102tangentially to the walls of the chamber, but on diametrically oppositesides thereof and, of course, with an included angle between theentering streams of ninety degrees. Thus the component materials arethoroughly mixed within the chamber 102 by the resulting swirling actionor flow of the materials in and along the chamber.

The other ends 111 and 112 of the passages 107 and 108, respectively,terminate, one-hundred and eighty degrees apart, in the sealing surface82 and are arranged so that they may be aligned with the bores 65 and 66formed in the sealing surface 64 of the plate 59. In other words, theends 111 and 112 of the pasages 107 and 108 and the bores 65 and 66 alllie on a common circle with respect to the longitudinal center lines ofthe plate 59 and body 75.

It has been found that when the diameter of the passages 107 and 108 areequal to the radius of the mixing chamber 102, satisfactory results maybe obtained. More particularly, it has been found that in a spray gunwherein the diameter of the passages corresponding to passages 107 and108 are inch and the diameter of the mixing chamber corresponding tochamber 102 is /s inch, a satisfactorily homogeneous mixture may besprayed from the gun when the component materials have a viscosity of300 -c.p.c.

The operation of the gun is as follows: When the end 91 of the handle 89is pointed to the word OFF, the valve body 75 is arranged, as shown inFIGURE 2, so that the ends 111 and 112 of the passages 107 and 108 arenot connected with either the material bores 65 or the solvent bores 66but are disposed forty-five degrees therebetween. When the latch 92 isretracted and the end 91 of the handle 89 is pointed to the word ON, thebody 75 is arranged, as shown in FIGURE 3, so that the ends 111 and 112of the passages 107 and 108 are aligned with the material bores 65whereby component material may flow through the passages 107 and 108 andinto mixing chamber 102 wherein the materials are thoroughly anduniformly mixed and thereafter sprayed from the gun through the tip 104.Moreover, when the end 91 of the handle 89 is pointed to the word SOLV,the body 75 is arranged, as shown in FIGURE 4, so that the ends 111 and112 of the passages 107 and 108 are aligned with the solvent bores 66whereby solvent may flow through the passages 107 and 108, into themixing chamber 102 and through the tip 104, thereby thoroughly andcompletely cleaning the passages, chamber and tip.

From the foregoing it should be apparent that the spray gun of thepresent invention is a significant improvement over the prior pluralcomponent materials spray guns. The improved spray gun of the presentinvention has a relatively simple design, construction and arrangementwhich not only reduces the manufacturing costs of the gun but alsopermits thorough and facile cleaning of the mixing chamber and thepassages interconnecting the mixing chamber with the component materialvalves, so that there is never build-up of the component materials inthese passages and chamber and around the valves. Moreover the use of arotary valve to control the flow of material through the spray guneliminates the problem, heretofore found in the prior plural componentmaterials spray guns, of adjusting the component material valves so thatsimultaneous actuation of these valves may be achieved. Furthermore, theuse of a rotary valve permits actuation of the valve with a minimalapplication of torque to the valve handle.

Moreover, it should be recognized that various other modifications maybe made to the spray gun of the present invention. For example, ifbecause of the materials used thorough mixing is desired. a static mixermay, of course, be inserted in the mixing chamber to provide additionalmixing.

I claim:

1. Spray apparatus for spraying plural fluid component materials as ahomogeneous mixture comprising: nozzle means; a mixing chamber connectedwith the nozzle means so that the component materials mixed in saidmixing chamber are sprayed from the nozzle means; a member having afirst bore adapted to be connected with a first component materialsource, a second bore adapted to be connected with a second componentmaterial source, and a third bore adapted to be connected with a solventsource; a body including passage means which has one end thereofconnected with said mixing chamber; and means for causing relativemovement between the member and the body whereby the other end of saidpassage means may be selectively placed in connection with the first andsecond bores, in connection with the third bore or disconnected from thefirst, second and third bores.

2. The apparatus described in claim 1 wherein said passage meansincludes first and second passages each of which having one end thereofconnected with said mixing chamber; and wherein relative movementbetween the member and the body permits the other ends of the first andsecond passages to be selectively placed in connection with the firstand the second bores, respectively, in connection with the third bore,or disconnected from the first, second and third bores.

3. The apparatus described in claim 2 wherein the last mentioned meansincludes a handle attached to the body; and wherein the body may berotated with respect to the member by movement of the handle.

4. The apparatus described in claim 2 wherein a first surface is formedon the member, and a second surface is formed on the body with the firstand second surfaces being biased into sealing engagement with eachother; wherein said last mentioned means includes a handle attached tothe body; and wherein the body may be rotated by the handle with respectto the member about an axis substantially perpendicular to said firstand second surfaces.

5. The apparatus described in claim 4 wherein the other ends of thefirst and second passages are spaced apart and terminate in said secondsurface and wherein the one ends of the first, second and third boresare spaced apart and terminate in said first surface whereby when thebody is rotated selectively about said axis to a first position, theother ends of the first and second passages are adjacent to and alignedwith the one end of the first bore passage and with the end of thesecond bore, respectively; when the body is rotated selectively to asecond position, the other ends of the first and second passages areadjacent to and aligned with the one end of the third bore; and when thebody is rotated selectively to a third position, the other ends of thefirst and second passages are not connected with the one ends of thefirst, second or third bores.

6. The apparatus described in claim 5 wherein fluid biasing means areutilized to urge said first and second surfaces into sealing engagementwith each other; and wherein said mixing chamber is formed in the body.

7. The apparatus described in claim 5 wherein the apparatus alsoincludes a housing having four conduit means, each of which having oneend thereof projecting from one side of the housing; the first conduitmeans having the other end thereof connected with the first componentmaterial source, the second conduit means having the other end thereofconnected with the second component material source and the third andfourth conduit means having the other ends thereof connected with thesolvent source; wherein the member includes a fourth bore, the one endof which terminating in the first surface and being spaced apart fromthe one ends of the first, second and third bores; wherein the first,second, third and fourth bores each include a first, relatively smalldiameter portion adjacent the one end and a second, larger diameterportion adjacent the other end thereof, said bores being arranged sothat the projecting ends of the first, second, third and fourth Conduitmeans fit within the second portions of the first, second, third andfourth bores, respectively, with the depth of the second portions of thebores being greater than the length of the projecting ends of theconduit means whereby the pressure of the fluid flowing through theconduit means and bores urges said first surface into sealing engagementwith the second surface.

8. The apparatus described in claim 7 wherein said mixing chamber isformed in the body; and wherein with respect to said axis, the otherends of the first and second passages are disposed at 180 to each other,the one ends of the first and second bores are disposed at 180 to eachother, and the one ends of the third and fourth bores are disposed at180 to each other, and are disposed at 90 to the one ends of the firstand second bores, with the other ends of the first and second passagesand the one ends of the first, second, third and fourth bores beingequi-spaced from said axis.

9. Spray apparatus for spraying plural component materials as ahomogeneous mixture comprising: a body having a first and second fluidpassages and a generally cylindrical mixing chamber formed therein;nozzle means connected with said mixing chamber so that the componentmaterials mixed in said mixing chamber are sprayed from the nozzlemeans, the first and second passages each having one end thereofconnected with said mixing chamber, and being positioned so that thecentral longitudinal axes of the first and second passages eachintersect a diameter of said mixing chamber at diiferent points thereon,and so that a first plane including said axis of the first passage,adjacent the one end thereof, and said diameter, is disposed at an angleof approximately 90 with respect to a second plane including said axisof the second passage, adjacent the one end thereof, and said diameter;and valve means for controlling the flow of component materials throughthe first and second passages.

10. The apparatus described in claim 9 wherein the one ends of the firstand second passages are connected with said mixing chamber adjacent oneend thereof and wherein the nozzle means is connected with said mixingchamber adjacent the other end thereof.

11. The apparatus described in claim 10 wherein said first and secondplanes are each disposed at an angle of approximately 45 to the centrallongitudinal axis of said mixing chamber; and wherein the streams ofcomponent materials emitted from the first and second passages aredirected generally toward the other end of said mixing chamber.

12. The apparatus described in claim 11 wherein said mixing chamber is aright cylinder; and wherein the diameters of the first and secondpassages are approximately equal to a radius of said mixing chamber.

13. The apparatus described in claim 11 wherein said axes of the firstand second passages each form an angle of approximately 4 with avertical plane including the central longitudinal axis of said mixingchamber.

14. The apparatus described in claim 11 wherein the point ofintersection between said axis of the first passage and said diameterand the point of intersection between said axis of the second passageand said diameter are on opposite sides of the central longitudinal axisof said mixing chamber.

15. The apparatus described in claim 12 wherein the point ofintersection of said axis of the first passage and said diameter and thepoint of intersection of said axis of the second passage and saiddiameter are on opposite sides of the central longitudinal axis of saidmixing chamber; and wherein the distance between said points ofintersection is approximately equal to a radius of said mixing chamber.

16. The apparatus described in claim 12 wherein said axes of the firstand second passages are parallel and form an angle of approximately 4with a vertical plane including the central longitudinal axis of saidmixing chamber and wherein the point of intersection between said axisof the first passage and said diameter, and the point of intersectionbetween said axis of the second passage and said diameter are onopposite sides of the central longitudinal axis of said mixing chamber.

17. The apparatus described in claim 13 wherein the axes of the firstand second passages are parallel.

18. The apparatus described in claim 14 wherein the distance between thepoint of intersection of said axis of the first passage and saiddiameter and the point of intersection of said axis of the secondpassage and said diameter is equal to a radius of said mixing chamber.

19. The apparatus described in claim 14 wherein said axes of the firstand second passages each form an angle of approximately 4 with avertical plane including the central longitudinal axis of said mixingchamber.

20. The apparatus described in claim 15 wherein the axes of the firstand second passages are parallel and form an angle of approximately 4with a vertical plane including the central longitudinal axis of saidmixing chamber.

21. The apparatus described in claim 19 wherein said axes of the firstand second passages are parallel.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,097,028 10/1937 Gates 239-4282,143,817 1/1939 Longdin et a1. 239428 3,057,273 10/1962 Wilson 23942 83,123,306 3/1964 Bradley 239-428 3,263,928 8/ 1966 Gusmer 239414 EVERETTW. KIRBY, Primary Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R.

